'Sidford to Sidbury Cycle/Footpath is losing support'

Sidmouth Town Council votes against the County Council’s planning application: “Members strongly support the creation of a safe cycle and pedestrian multi-use path between Sidbury and Sidford. However, the current proposal by Devon County Council is unacceptable because of the difficult and potentially dangerous passage onto and through Hillside and dangerous exit from Hillside onto the A375.” 

Over 10 years ago the County Council proposed a cycle/footpath from Sidford to Sidbury on the eastern side of the main road and a planning application was submitted, which was then withdrawn. Since then the Council have developed proposals for a path on the other side of the road, but support for this route has dropped away.

Late last year, plans were put together – and the Sidbury Sidford walking and cycling route ws put under consultation:

The scheme’s proposed route starts from the north side of Sidford village, traversing the western side of A375 (Two Bridges Road) and connecting to Hillside, Sidbury.

Previously, another cycle scheme had been suggested from Sidford to Sidbury along the eastern part of the A375 road. This option was withdrawn due to various issues including construction challenges, the expected costs and concerns that its distance from the main road might reduce the perception of personal safety.

The proposed western route is expected to avoid these problems.

The trail would start on land next to the Waste Water Treatment Plant on the east of Two Bridges Road and cross the A375 via a new Toucan controlled signal-controlled crossing and run along the western side of the A375 in a northerly direction. It would cross Ottery Lane via a new cycle/walking pedestrian priority crossing and through the existing agricultural land, leading up to to Hillside. Traffic Regulation Orders may also be instated near the Hillside junction to regulate car parking and enhance visibility.

The council published the results of its consultation in early 2024, saying there was overwhelming support for the new walking and cycling route proposals – with the full Statement of Community Involvement for the Sidbury active travel route giving more details.

However, looking at the “comments and correspondence” on the webpage for the actual planning application DCC/4404/2024 [under the ‘associated docs’ tab] there is a very different picture, with ‘overwhelming rejection’ for the new route proposals. 

And looking more closely at those submissions, there are considerable misgivings – especially with regards to the safety of the new route.

There are several interesting and effective responses from many of the residents in Hillside, where the final part of this stage of the path will run. There are also clear objections from the ward members Councillors Loudoun and Rixson.

The VGS Sidmouth Cycling Campaign’s submission was very much in tandem with these comments, making clear that a multi-use trail between Sidford and Sidbury is needed – but that this application offers an unsuitable route:

We fully support the intention to provide a safe route for active travel between Sidford and Sidbury, but are against the current proposal as the northern end of the scheme is dangerous. We have explained our objection in the attached document:

Response to DCC Planning Application – DCC/4404/2024 

Creation of a new cycle and pedestrian multi-use path, on land to the west of the A375, between Sidford and Sidbury 

We fully support the intention to provide a safe route for active travel between Sidford and Sidbury, but are against the current proposal as it is unsafe for the following reason: 

The Road Safety Audit (RSA) provided by Devon County Council recognised the safety problem at the northern end of the scheme where cyclists will exit Hillside onto the A375 (Problem 4): The excessive gradient of the proposed cycle route on the approach to the A375 could lead to a cyclist losing control and being struck by a vehicle on the A375. 

There are no proposed measures within the current planning application to mitigate this risk and consequently we recommend this application is refused on safety grounds. 

The response by the Overseeing Organisation included in the RSA is that an alternative route avoiding Hillside is not viable within the current proposals but could be included in a future Phase 2, with consideration being given to delivery of Phase 1 and 2 together. 

This response does not address the inherent safety problem with the planning application for Phase 1 and consequently we recommend this application is refused on safety grounds. 

The recommendations of the Sidmouth Town Council Planning Working Group on 14th August are recorded on the DCC website as a Consultee Response. Here are those minutes – from the council’s planning committee a fortnight later when they were slightly tweaked:

Members agreed that delegated authority be given to the Chair of the Planning Working Group to sign as a true and accurate record the Minutes of the Planning Working Group meeting of 14 August 2024, subject to the following amendment: Minute 116 DPX/DCC/4404/2024 To amend the minute to read as follows: 

Members strongly support the creation of a safe cycle and pedestrian multi-use path between Sidbury and Sidford. 

However, the current proposal by Devon County Council is unacceptable because: 

The proposal is piece-meal without the inclusion and certainty of Phase II 

The Ottery Lane crossing is potentially dangerous 

The problem of flooding at the southern end of the proposed route 

The difficult and potentially dangerous passage onto and through Hillside and dangerous exit from Hillside onto the A375. 

This opinion was confirmed at the town council’s full meeting on Monday 2nd September, at which there was “discussion and voting” of the ‘planning report 14 August 2024 Cycle Route’.

At a previous meeting some months ago, back in December, the full council had voted on their Consultation Response, narrowly supporting the county council’s proposals.

Walking and Cycling Route Linking Sidbury to Sidford – Public Consultation 

Devon County Council had launched a public consultation for a walking and cycling route linking Sidbury to Sidford. The public consultation had been launched prior to the submission of a planning application. Any subsequent planning application would be publicised by the Local Planning Authority (East Devon District Council). Any comments provided by the Town Council would not prejudice the ability to make representations to the LPA on a related planning application. The proposed development was described as: “A new off-road shared use cycle/walkway, that will run parallel to the western side of the A375 between the southern boundary of Hillside to the northern boundary of Sidford with associated engineering works.” 

RESOLVED: That Sidmouth Town Council supports the proposed Walking and Cycling Route Linking Sidbury to Sidford.

Members of the public spoke against the proposed route – with this comment provided by one of the speakers at the time:

“The room divided 7-7, and the route was supported by STC on the casting vote of the Chair. I think without exception all those who voted for the DCC proposal were not in favour of the route but took the view that ‘anything is better than nothing’. Fateful words in my experience when heard at a council meeting! “

Members of the council also expressed their reservations. Councillor Kevin Walker, the VGS representative on the town council, recalls this meeting:

“It was the first time in my limited experience as a Councillor that I have witnessed the chair use his casting vote. The minutes of the meeting, following established convention, simply recorded that the proposal was supported. The case for the proposed route was very persuasive, a cycle/walk-way between Sidford and Sidbury has been desperately needed and this was the best hope we had of getting one. I took the view, influenced in part by the report provided by Sidmouth Cycling Campaign, that sections of the proposed route would be very difficult to make safe particularly the exit from the route down Hillside onto the busy main road. Having taken our grandchildren on various off-road routes to help them become more confident cyclists I was not convinced that I would be happy to see them use this route unsupervised. However, I fully appreciate why many of my fellow Councillors took a different view.”

Three years ago Devon County Council agreed the strategy of constructing the Sidford to Sidbury Cycle/Footpath on the western side of the main road. Last year this route was put out to consultation and the town council narrowly supported the choice of route.

The county council then submitted its detailed Planning Application. The town council’s planning working group examined this in detail in August, declaring that “the current proposal by Devon County Council is unacceptable”. They subsequently reported back to the full town council – who agreed with their reservations on 2nd September.

Finally, however, despite this lack of support from residents, ward Members, the Town Council and the Sidmouth Cycling Campaign – it will be Devon County Council’s planning committee who will determine this planning application, as DCC are responsible for determining planning applications made by DCC (generally those for schools and highways) 

The application will probably be decided by the DCC Development Management Committee. Their next meeting is planned for 23rd October.

Interestingly, though, the County Council have included the Sidmouth Cycling Campaign’s alternative proposals – submitted as its contribution to the late 2023 consultation on the Sidbury to Sidford Cycle Route. It’s on page 56 (with slight redactions) of the Sidbury active travel route – statement of community involvement

The document is also available as the SCC proposal: Sidbury Path – with an excerpt here:

DCC previously submitted a planning application in 2015 for a route on the eastern side of the main road (See Figure 1 below). This application was withdrawn due to a number of constraints. We suggest that DCC should revisit their previous proposals for a route on the eastern side, as this has the potential to create a safe off-road route into the centre of Sidbury. We include, below, details of a revised route that may overcome some of the constraints that led to the previous application being withdrawn.

Which brings us back to our starting point, when, over 10 years ago, the County Council proposed a cycle/footpath from Sidford to Sidbury on the eastern side of the main road and a planning application was submitted, which was then withdrawn.